Too Little Too Late

Chapter 12 | Edited

"Is that all you're getting?" Sirius asked Layla incredulously, peering at the box of chocolate cauldrons she had placed on the counter. Layla's face immediately turned pink, making Sirius chuckle affectionately.

"I'm just not hungry is all." Layla replied with a 'hmph'.

"Yeah, yeah. Sure." Sirius laughed before walking away from Layla, her box of chocolate cauldrons and his pile of sweets on the counter. Layla was slightly confused but before she could question it Sirius returned with his arms full of sweets. Upon closer inspection Layla realised that they were all her favourite sweets.

The man behind the counter laughed loudly, "is that all Sirius?"

"For now, need to leave some for the other students now, don't I?" He replied with a charming smile. Not that it would ever charm me. In fact I don't even consider it charming. It's just a smile. A stupid, Sirius smile. Hmph.

Sirius proceeded to pay for all of the sweets before Layla could disagree, giving her the slightly fuller bag ("thank you"). They left the shop together, bracing the biting cold air together.

"So how did you know what my favourite sweets are?" Layla asked Sirius quietly as they reached the shrieking shack.

"Just a wild guess." Sirius replied with a wink, leaving Layla with the impression that it was definitely not just a wild guess. She giggled quietly, choosing not to question it any further. That's just who Sirius is, she decided.

"Do you think the war will go on for much longer?" She asked even quieter than before. So quietly in fact that she would have been surprised that Sirius could even hear her, had he not been standing so close.

"It hasn't really started though, has it? This is the pre-war period." Sirius replied.

"It has started. People have died." Layla replied, her voice beginning to tighten as her eyes closed. She willed herself not to cry. Not in front of him.

"I guess you're right." Sirius replied, thinking of that Hufflepuff. "I guess because it hasn't really affected me I forget that it has affected others."

There was a brief silence in which both Layla and Sirius pondered the future and the likeliness that all of their friends would survive the war.

"It will end. And we will all live through it. Every one of us. You, me, James, Lily, Remus, Peter, Alice and Marlene. We'll be okay, because we're strong." Sirius said definitely.

Layla turned to face the boy, finding that she appreciated him and his determinism even more than she ever had in the last six years. Maybe she was falling for him again. Would that even be that bad? She was a changed person and, by the looks of it, so was he.

Layla turned her head up to the sky and closed her eyes, unwilling to be thinking of such things right now, especially when the war was underway.

"Layla, open your eyes." Came the quiet whisper from Sirius.

Obligingly, Layla opened her eyes. Sirius' face was very close to hers, and only getting closer. His eyes fluttered closed and his lips pursed slightly. His face inched closer again. Suddenly Layla realised what was about to happen, Sirius Black was about to kiss her. His hand reached up to cup her cheek.

Layla unfroze quickly, having half a second to process her decision before she was on the run.

A bewildered Sirius watched her go for a few seconds before realising what had just happened and chasing after her, intent on apologising. Even though snow was beginning to settle, Layla didn't slip once. Sirius couldn't say the same. Therefore, Layla was well ahead of him.

She was out of breath by the time she had collapsed into an empty classroom, hiding behind the desk. Before she could even begin to comprehend the last few minutes, the door slammed open loudly.

"I KNOW YOU'RE THERE." Came the loud, screeching voice of Peeves. "Come out now," the poltergeist said quieter, "what are you hiding from? Or should I say WHO ARE YOU HIDING FROM? Oh! I know. It's the prankster boy who is running this way, isn't it? IT IS. IT IS."

Layla knew that her hiding spot was given away and so leapt to her feet quickly, once again running as fast as she could. This time however, it was in the direction of the Gryffindor tower.

"QUICK, QUICK. SHE'S GETTING AWAY. SHE WENT THAT WAY, QUICK." Peeves' voice followed her.

Soon Layla could hear the echoing footsteps of someone running behind her.

"Layla wait! Please!" She could hear Sirius call. He was gaining on her.

The fat lady was in sight.

"Accio!" Layla shouted, making her swing open. The portrait swung shut behind her, giving Layla those few precious seconds that it took to be up the girl's staircase and out of sight.

She collapsed heavily onto her bed and immediately began to ponder why her immediate reaction was to run away and how she was going to handle tomorrow when it eventually came.

I'm screwed.